Isaiah 40 Parallel Bible Translations

Isaiah 40 ▼
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BISHOPS
Bishops' Bible of 1568
ESV
English Standard Version
NIV
New International Version
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1 Comfort my people O ye prophetes comfort my people, saith your God, Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.
2 Comfort Hierusalem at the heart, and tell her, that her trauayle is at an ende, that her offence is pardoned, that she hath receaued at the Lordes hande sufficient correction for all her sinnes. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the LORD’s hand double for all her sins. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the LORD’s hand double for all her sins.
3 A voyce crieth in wildernesse: Prepare the way of the Lorde, make strayght the path of our God in the desert. A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
4 All valleys shalbe exalted, and euery mountayne and hyll layde lowe: what so is croked shalbe made strayght, and the rough shalbe made playne. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain.
5 For the glorie of the Lorde shall appeare, for all fleshe shall at once see that the mouth of the Lorde hath spoken it. And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.” And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”
6 The same voyce spake: Nowe crye. And the prophete aunswered, What shall I crye? That all fleshe is grasse, and that all the goodlinesse therof is as the floure of the fielde. A voice says, “Cry!” And I said, “What shall I cry?” All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field. A voice says, “Cry out.” And I said, “What shall I cry?” “All people are like grass, and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field.
7 The grasse is withered, the floure falleth away, for the breath of the Lord bloweth vpon them: of a trueth the people are grasse. The grass withers, the flower fades when the breath of the LORD blows on it; surely the people are grass. The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the LORD blows on them. Surely the people are grass.
8 The grasse withereth, and the floure fadeth away: yet the worde of our God endureth for euer. The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.”
9 Go vp vnto the hye hyll O Sion thou that bryngest good tidinges, lyft vp thy voyce with power O thou preacher Hierusalem, lyft vp without feare, & say vnto the cities of Iuda: Beholde your God, Go on up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good news; lift it up, fear not; say to the cities of Judah, “Behold your God!” You who bring good news to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who bring good news to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with a shout, lift it up, do not be afraid; say to the towns of Judah, “Here is your God!”
10 Beholde ye Lorde God shal come with power, and shall of him selfe beare rule with his arme: beholde his rewarde with hym, and his workes before hym. Behold, the Lord GOD comes with might, and his arm rules for him; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. See, the Sovereign LORD comes with power, and he rules with a mighty arm. See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him.
11 He shall feede his flocke like an heardman, he shall gather the lambes together with his arme, and cary them in his bosome, and shall kyndly intreate those that beare young. He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young. He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.
12 Who hath measured the waters in his fist? who hath measured heauen with his spanne, and hath comprehended all the earth of the worlde in three measures? who hath wayed the mountaynes and hylles in a ballaunce? Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and marked off the heavens with a span, enclosed the dust of the earth in a measure and weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance? Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens? Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on the scales and the hills in a balance?
13 Who hath directed the spirite of the Lorde? or who gaue hym counsayle, and shewed hym? Who has measured the Spirit of the LORD, or what man shows him his counsel? Who can fathom the Spirit of the LORD, or instruct the LORD as his counselor?
14 Who is of his counsayle, and geueth hym vnderstandyng, and hath taught hym the path of iudgement? who taught hym cunnyng, and opened to hym the way of vnderstandyng? Whom did he consult, and who made him understand? Who taught him the path of justice, and taught him knowledge, and showed him the way of understanding? Whom did the LORD consult to enlighten him, and who taught him the right way? Who was it that taught him knowledge, or showed him the path of understanding?
15 Beholde, all people are in comparison of hym as a droppe of a bucket full, and are counted as the least thyng that the ballaunce wayeth: yea and the Isles he taketh vp as a very litle thyng. Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket, and are accounted as the dust on the scales; behold, he takes up the coastlands like fine dust. Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket; they are regarded as dust on the scales; he weighs the islands as though they were fine dust.
16 Libanus is not sufficient to minister fire to his offeryng, and all the beastes therof are not inough for one sacrifice. Lebanon would not suffice for fuel, nor are its beasts enough for a burnt offering. Lebanon is not sufficient for altar fires, nor its animals enough for burnt offerings.
17 All people in comparison of hym are reckened as nothyng: yf they be compared with hym, lesse then nothyng, and as it that is not. All the nations are as nothing before him, they are accounted by him as less than nothing and emptiness. Before him all the nations are as nothing; they are regarded by him as worthless and less than nothing.
18 To whom then wyll ye lyken God? or what similitude will ye set vp to him? To whom then will you liken God, or what likeness compare with him? With whom, then, will you compare God? To what image will you liken him?
19 Shall the caruer make hym a carued image? and shall the goldesmith couer hym with golde, or cast hym into a fourme of siluer plates? An idol! A craftsman casts it, and a goldsmith overlays it with gold and casts for it silver chains. As for an idol, a metalworker casts it, and a goldsmith overlays it with gold and fashions silver chains for it.
20 Moreouer, shal the image maker that the poore man which is disposed may haue some thyng to set vp also, seeke out and choose a tree that is not rotten, and carue thereout an image that moueth not? He who is too impoverished for an offering chooses wood that will not rot; he seeks out a skillful craftsman to set up an idol that will not move. A person too poor to present such an offering selects wood that will not rot; they look for a skilled worker to set up an idol that will not topple.
21 Knowe ye nothyng? hearde ye neuer of it? hath it not ben preached vnto you since the beginning? haue ye not ben enfourmed of this by the foundation of the earth? Do you not know? Do you not hear? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood since the earth was founded?
22 It is he that sitteth vpon the circle of the world, whose inhabiters are in comparison of him but as grashoppers: he spreadeth out the heauens as a couering, he stretcheth them out as a tent to dwell in. It is he who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers; who stretches out the heavens like a curtain, and spreads them like a tent to dwell in; He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a canopy, and spreads them out like a tent to live in.
23 He bringeth princes to nothing, and the iudges of the earth as though they were not. who brings princes to nothing, and makes the rulers of the earth as emptiness. He brings princes to naught and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing.
24 So that of them it may be sayde, they be not planted nor sowne agayne, neither their stocke rooted agayne in the earth: for assoone as he bloweth vpon them, they wither and fade away lyke the strawe in a whirle winde. Scarcely are they planted, scarcely sown, scarcely has their stem taken root in the earth, when he blows on them, and they wither, and the tempest carries them off like stubble. No sooner are they planted, no sooner are they sown, no sooner do they take root in the ground, than he blows on them and they wither, and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff.
25 To whom nowe will ye liken me, and whom shall I be lyke, saith the holy one? To whom then will you compare me, that I should be like him? says the Holy One. “To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One.
26 Lift vp your eyes on high, and consider who hath made those thinges which come out by so great heapes, and he calleth them al by their names: there is nothing hid from the greatnesse of his power, strength, and might. Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these? He who brings out their host by number, calling them all by name; by the greatness of his might and because he is strong in power, not one is missing. Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.
27 Howe may then Iacob thinke, or may Israel say, My wayes are hid from the Lord, and my God knoweth not of my iudgementes? Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel, “My way is hidden from the LORD, and my right is disregarded by my God”? Why do you complain, Jacob? Why do you say, Israel, “My way is hidden from the LORD; my cause is disregarded by my God|?
28 Knowest thou not, or hast thou not hearde that the euerlasting God, the Lorde whiche made all the corners of the earth, is neither weerie nor fainte? and that his wysdome can not be comprehended? Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.
29 It is he that geueth strength vnto the weerie, and power vnto the faint. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.
30 Children are weerie and faint, and the strongest men fall: Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall;
31 But vnto them that haue their trust in the Lorde, shall strength be increased: Egles winges shall growe vpon them, when they runne they shall not fall, and when they go they shall not be weerie. but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
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